Independence man struck by car, killed

Independence man struck by car, killed

GEORGEVILLE — An Independence man died shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday after being struck by a car as he stood along the highway in front of his home.

Joe Freeman, 76, was standing at the edge of the southbound lane of La. 43 in St. Helena Parish, just north of the Livingston Parish line when, investigators believe, he bent over to pick up an unknown object, stumbled into the roadway and was struck by a southbound 2002 Toyota Camry, Trooper Greg Marchand said Wednesday.

The St. Helena Parish Coroner’s Office pronounced Freeman dead at the scene.

The driver, Charles Nelson, 39, also of Independence, voluntarily submitted to a Breathalyzer test, which revealed that alcohol was not a factor on his part, Marchand said.